Sharing the stories of those affected by Autoimmune disease

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Gratitude doesn’t change what we have in front of us; it changes the way we see what we have

Anonymous

This past Thursday was Thanksgiving here in the United States. I spent the day with my husband’s family and I couldn’t be more grateful to have them close by when I’m far away from my own family.

This got me thinking about practicing gratitude in general. How often do we really give thanks for what we have? Only once a year, when Thanksgiving rolls around? Or are we only thankful for what we have when we’ve lost it (in other words, when it’s too late)?

When you have an autoimmune disease or any other type of chronic illness, it can be challenging to feel grateful for what you have. I mean, how could I feel thankful for having near-constant joint pain, fatigue, widespread dryness, skin issues and brain fog, among other symptoms of Sjogren’s Syndrome and Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)?

But, if I challenge myself to think harder, I can actually think of many ways in which I should be grateful for what I have. Many people, especially those who are less fortunate or who live in developing countries, don’t have access to a reliable healthcare system, including adequate treatment options, necessary medications, and educated health care professionals. Even here in the United States, many people with chronic illness struggle to afford their medications, health insurance or co-pays for doctor’s visits. While I am by no means rich, I’m thankful that I have the ability to take care of my healthcare needs when many people cannot.

Another thing that I’m grateful for is the amazing chronic illness community that I’ve connected with in the past two years of blogging on this site. Having a chronic illness can sometimes be lonely, and you may feel like no one understands what you’re going through (especially if none of your family or friends have a disease themselves, or if you don’t have a satisfactory support system). However, by connecting with others on WordPress, Instagram and Reddit who are in a similar situation, I’ve quickly realized that I’m far from being alone, and I’ve learned new methods of self-care that have helped me manage my illness.

Thanks for reading this blog post! If you’re an Autoimmune Warrior, what are you thankful for (that you may have forgotten to be grateful about)? Comment below and let me know!